Dear Forumites,
Congrats to the Warriors on their victory over Barbados, but let us not be mislead by newspaper headlines and big scores. Let me burst alyuh bubble for the umpteenth time and please do not get a false sense of security. TT looked very sloppy and struggled at times against a poor Bajan outfit.
I was very disappointed in the performance of the TT team and many players needed a good kick in they arse and their socks pulled up for their efforts yesterday. Maturana I realise give players the opportunity to play their way OFF the team.
I arrived around 5:30 and upon turning into the street at the side of the COE, I was greeted with NO PARKING signs. The TTFF took control of the traffic and parking situation and I applaud their efforts. The alternative was to pay a fella with a spranger finish to get a spot near Cariri, park on the narrow dimly lit street under the bridge or use the COE carpark. After deciding on the latter, I paid at the carpark gate entrance...imagine they reuse the Guadeloupe game tickets..collected my stub...walked tru the chainlink fence and entered behind the goal on the northern side...very convenient.
I decided to walk about to see if the TTFF had their registration booth or any other kinda setup but none were visible. The two soup men, bake and shark vendors and pie man were also present. My walkabout was also topped off by 3 models from Sacha cosmetics handing out certificates/entry forms to all mothers who attended the game. Truth be told, standing up under the stands and taking a gape at the three ladies would have been a better bet than the action on the field.
After getting a seat near halfline by the press box area I observed the teams warm up. Barbados did their thing individually walking about passing the ball. TT set up their players in two lines and stretched, jumped, twist etc. At times they looked comical and reminiscent of a under 14 session. Then the trainer put some discs in two lines and they did some small shuttles, jumping and twisting etc in between. What I found interesting is that the trainer had to explain each warmup to them and demonstrate each one....not like it was a routine thing. Then they put down the discs in a square and played a three team small passing game. Anthems were played and game was on
T&T: – 21.Marvin Phillip, 2.Kern Cupid (13.Kareem Smith 65th), 4.Makan Hislop (5.Keyeno Thomas 65th), 6.Anton Pierre (capt), 7.Khaleem Hyland, 12.Stephan David, 14.Jamaal Gay (18.Akile Edwards 89th), 15.Ancil Farrier, 16.Kevon Carter (17.Ataullah Guerra), 18.Jerol Forbes (11.Devon Jorsling 65th), 19.Keon Daniel.
Subs not used: – Glenroy Samuel, Romauld Aguillera.
Barbados: – 1.Adrian Chase, 2.Dyson James, 3.Jonathon Straker, 7.Rondelle Vaughn, 8.Malcolm Marshall (15.Arantees Lawrence 75th), 10.Norman Forde (capt), 11.Kieran Crichlow, 12.Greg Belle, 13.Bryan Neblett, 14.Walton Burrowes (9.Madalitso Mkoloma 66th), 17.John Parris.
Subs not used: – 4.Brent Carrington, 5.Omar Archer, 6.Barry Skeete, 18.Omari Eastmond.
TT still looked a bit small in comparison to the boys from Bimshire and TT lined up in a 4-4-2 with Barbados doing the same.
However TT played with a diamond midfield :- David as the tackler and Hyland as the offensive player.
Barbados controlled the game for the opening 10 minutes, not allowing TT any time on the ball and keeping good possession. However they never threatened the goal and their two breakaway chances were deemed offside. Barbados had one good goal attempt when their right back ran up the flank and hit a beautiful curlers at the jep nest....it had goal written all over it but Phillip came up with a BIG BIG save to deny the Bajan.
TT did the usual ball in the back, long hoof up the flank to the forward and they attempted to maintain possession when they could. All the players were sloppy and gave away the ball needlessly, slipped under pressure, bad flick or pass to no one or...(Lack of effort in chasing the ball..Chief Culprit Kevon Carter)
No player had a good game and the game was decided on 3 moments of individual brilliance. The first one was the well taken goal by Jamal Guy. Folks he is young, he is thin, he was pongs off the ball, fell at inopportune times, made bad decisions coming fwd and his inexperience showed big time. However he has a lot of heart and determination and after getting the first goal his confidence improved 100% and he lifted his game. A long ball was flighted over the top. He beat the offside trap and the Bajan keeper came off his line. Guy took his time, hit the keeper a spanner and after blowing past him composed hiself...ran into the area and made sure side footing his effort into the goal with defenders bearing down on him. An excellent goal and this lifted the team spirits.
Hyland who was pulling the strings in the midfield then hit two defenders a roly poly at the top of the box and with the keeper alone to beat, mustered a poor side footed effort at the keeper. What was disheartening was that he turned his back and walked off when there was a rebound and he could have followed up the play.
Keon Daniel played decent, nothing spectacular providing support for hyland in the middle. Carter and Forbes were trying a thing on the flank and getting a few crosses in but we were too indecisive up top and not shooting and exploiting the space going forward.
In attack I was pleased that both wingbacks were getting involved in the play and advancing. Cupid is nifty and beat a few players well but the final cross was disappointing or the shot blocked. Farrier also acquitted himself well.
In the back Farrier looked decent and did not make too many mistakes, recovered if he got beaten for pace and put in the tackle. My only grouse with him is that he escorts players and does not step up and close down the space. He looking and pointing.
Hislop was disappointing. He made some costly errors, probably have twins from a Bajan fwd or two and was lucky not to have been punished for selling guns and teeing up the bajan fwds in front of goal. Maturana sub him at the right time for Keyno thomas.
Bullet head Anton Pierre showed why he never make a TT side when it mattered. Talk about sloppy, bad pass, missing crosses, slow to the ball. He eat some beat and is not able against the speedy fwds. Bad game from him. To his credit he showed his lofted cross field passing is on point and was responsible for changing the point of attack from flank to flank during the game.
I found also we gave the bajans too much respect and too much space to play and at times they were nifty coming fwd on the counter and they also played a possession game.
My entertainment for the evening was the Bajan #10 Norman Forde who looked like a general on the field. Poor David collected the neatest of "caps" from Forde and collected a long drag tru his legs at top speed that had the crowd going wild.
The beat of the game came from a Bajan sub on I think it was poor David again......All the Bajans have proper English names...they bring orn a fella with a Nigerian Finish name Madalitso Mkoloma....watch meh the breddah run orn and his first touch of the ball Fan David with his left foot and brush him with consumate ease.
Maturana eventually got fed up with the antics of certain players and started subbing them as the mess they put down was too much. Carter got two beautiful balls on the flank and he just had to put a toe and gave up and let the ball run out of play. The crowd could not believe it and he got a thorough round of applause when he was subbed.
Guerra showed real class and composure coming on and he was the difference on the night. A deft touch, good controlled passes and the ability to take on players he created the trouble that caused two goals in the last 5 min.
Jorsling came on and ran like a no headed chicken, getting beat, losing the ball, passing bad...just doing nothing in an excitable way. But he was there at the right time to get his head to a ball after a good piece of skill on the flank and spanner by GUY tru a bajans legs by the corner flag..... to flick it ever so skillfully while falling into the far corner to make it 2-0.
With the game in the 90th minute I had to beat the traffic and I was hustling to leave. I saw the introduction of edwards and when I was behind the goal saw a scramble and the ball going into the net. 3-0. But my mind was on getting out of the COE as fast as possible.
After reaching home I looked at the match again on TV but it further reinforced the fact that we ent ready to play higher calibre teams and that we still need to step up our game big time. Certain players have been found out against lower level opposition and are not consistent.
Also the ref was real real poor, he did not show any cards during the game and flagrant fouls were not punished. However the Bajans came out on top in this dept. They stopped us and hacked us down right tru and TT did not retaliate and got roughed up, much to my disappointment....we must dish it out too. We must not get roughed up at home.
It was not one of the better performances of the Maturana campaign but hey.....WE WIN 3 NIL ent.
Till England.
